Alonso: Ferrari can be third best in race

19 July 2014 – Fernando Alonso reckons Ferrari can be the third best team in the German Grand Prix, despite a low key qualifying performance.

The Spaniard will start Sunday's race at Hockenheim from seventh, his best Q3 time more than a second slower than pole-sitter Nico Rosberg.

But although he has written off his chances of fighting Mercedes and Williams, Alonso feels that his package is strong enough to beat the McLaren, Red Bull and Force India machines around him.

"I think, in front of us, the Williams and Mercedes are too quick to fight with them, but Red Bull, Force India and McLaren are beatable," he commented.

"Behind, there are some threats as I think [Jenson] Button is starting 11th with a new set of tyres. He will be very quick in the race, looking at [Kevin] Magnussen in qualifying."

Alonso is, however, expecting tyre degradation to pose a major challenge if temperatures remain high.

"We have a lot of tyre degradation, especially at the rear, because we spin the tyres with a lack of downforce, and when it is hot, with high track temperatures, this effect is a little bit bigger," said Alonso.

"In qualifying, with new tyres, I think we masked these problems with the grip of the tyres."

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